Hotel Room Rates Rise In March

BRIEFCASE

April 30, 1997

Central Florida hotel occupancy dipped very slightly in March, but the important measure of room rates rose significantly, Smith Travel Research announced Tuesday. Occupancy was down 0.2 percent to 89 percent in March, compared with the same month in 1996, while room rates surged 9.6 percent to $89.85. The downtown Orlando, south Orlando and Kissimmee areas all showed slight downturns in occupancy. The biggest drop was in south Orlando, where occupancy dipped 3.9 percent - while International Drive, north Orlando and Lake Buena Vista all posted increases. Room rates in every local market increased.